Spanning across more than half the Northern Hemisphere, Canada takes up a good amount of the Arctic Circle. And even in the more inhabited south, things get pretty cold for many months of the year. But you don’t develop a stereotype for cheerful pleasantness by sitting inside and complaining. On the contrary –Canadians are experts at making the best of the cold. What better way to do that than by wrapping up warm, setting up a hut on the ice, and going fishing?
Alongside hockey, snowshoeing, and curling, ice fishing is right up there on the list of Canada’s favourite winter hobbies. You can do it almost anywhere, as long as you have an auger, an ice fishing rod, and – most importantly – ice that’s thick enough. But a few places stand out. Some are quirky, some host impressive events, and others just hold seriously huge fish. So read on – you won’t want to miss these nine destinations this winter!
Golden, BC
Let’s start with a newcomer to our ice fishing hit list – Golden, BC. You’ve probably heard of this small town in the Kootenay Rockies because of its skiing. The place is packed with slopes, cross-country routes, and even heli and cat skiing. But there’s also plenty to do if you want to enjoy a slower pace.
As it happens, as well as boasting phenomenal skiing and hiking, the Kootenay Rockies are a year-round hotspot for Trout fishing. Some of the largest Rainbow Trout in the world thrive here, and you have just as much of a chance of catching one in the winter as you do after ice out.
Gerrard Rainbow Trout are the main attraction and the number one reason for including the Kootenay Rockies on this list. These local fish are as big as Rainbow Trout get, with trophies weighing in at up to 14 kilograms (30 pounds). The world record was over 23 kilos (52 pounds)! Although it’s rare to catch fish of this size these days, you can still find plenty of fish in the 3–5 kilogram range. Other potential catches include Bull Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, and Burbot.
Stay in Golden, and you’ll have access to a number of great ice fishing lakes in jaw-dropping mountain surroundings. You can explore some of the small mountain lakes on your own or with a guide. Otherwise, take a drive to a more established ice fishing spot. Premier Lake and its surroundings are among the best places to fish here all year round – both in terms of the number of Rainbow Trout on offer and the scenery you’ll find them in.
Muskoka Lakes, ON
You don’t need to go far from a major city to find good ice fishing in Ontario. The hundreds of kilometres of hard water in Muskoka are proof of that!
Ontario’s cottage country provides a whole lot more than summertime relaxation for the rich and famous. Lakes Muskoka, Joseph, and Rosseau are huge in themselves and also come surrounded by rivers, locks, and small backcountry lakes. All this, within two and a half hours of Toronto.
Drill through the ice and you can find fish that are as impressive as the surroundings. These bodies of water are famous for their Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, and one dinner table favourite – Walleye.
Because ice fishing is so popular here, you have a whole range of options for catching all these fish. Hire a guide, rent a hut, or trek into the backcountry. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong in this reliable fishery.
Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, QC
Few places take ice fishing as seriously as Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade. This small town on the Sainte-Anne River comes alive every winter as crowds descend in search of the local specialty – Tomcod.
Locals only learnt that this winter species flourishes here as recently as 1938. Ever since, visitors have descended on the frozen river every year between December 26 and mid-February. And the town welcomes them warmly – literally! Local guide services set up ice fishing cabins in a genuine village layout, with much more than just ice fishing on offer. Slides, sleigh rides, crafts, and an illuminated park make this a real winter family vacation setting.
But there’s really one reason why everyone comes here. Tomcod are delicious, abundant, and seriously easy to catch. You don’t even need a fishing licence to catch one, and there are no limits to how many you keep. Just try not to take more than you’re likely to eat, so you can help preserve the fishery for future generations.
Tobin Lake, SK
We couldn’t write about the best places to go ice fishing in Canada without mentioning Tobin Lake. This huge reservoir on the Saskatchewan River has been known for its fishing since it was first impounded. Word really started to get out, though, when Father Marius Zajac caught an ice fishing world record in 2005.
Father Marius’s tackle-busting catch was a Walleye that weighed in at 8.3 kilograms (18 pounds). But big Walleye aren’t the only reason to fish this lake in the winter. Enormous Northern Pike, plentiful Yellow Perch, and Lake Whitefish are just a few of the species that come up through the ice here every year.
Of course, people don’t just come to Tobin Lake for its unusually large fish. The area offers plenty of winter tourism amenities, including comfortable cabins and all sorts of outdoor entertainment. 285 kilometres (177 miles) of snowmobile trails border the lake and its surroundings! There’s also an ice skating rink and trails for cross-country skiing! All this, below the ever-changing Saskatchewan sky… No matter where you’re travelling from, Tobin Lake is well worth the trip.
Cold Lake, AB
Stretching over 370 square kilometres (144 square miles) between Alberta and Saskatchewan, Cold Lake really comes into its own in the winter. Cold by name and cold by nature, it usually starts icing over in December. And once it does, anglers ready their augers with the hope of catching one thing – a massive Lake Trout.
Cold Lake is one of the deepest lakes in Alberta, plunging to depths of over 200 metres (650 feet). This makes it the perfect habitat for huge Lake Trout, who thrive in areas with plenty of space and all the bait that comes with it. In fact, the Alberta Lake Trout record was caught here way back in the 1920s – and no one’s topped it yet!
But it’s not just Lake Trout that attract anglers here. Walleye, Northern Trout, Whitefish, and Yellow Perch all regularly make it out of the ice and into pop-up huts. That’s not to mention the legendary “Kinosoo”, a mythical creature that apparently lurks in the depths of this ancient waterway. We’ll stick to the Lakers, thanks!
Falcon Lake, MB
There are plenty of ice fishing lakes in Canada that offer peace, quiet, and seclusion. That’s not why you come to Falcon Lake, though. Especially if you’re here in March and have your eyes on a prize! That’s because this lake hosts one of the most popular ice fishing contests in the country.
The Falcon Lake Winter Fish-Off takes place in mid-March every year and offers anglers over $60,000 in prizes. Reserve one or two holes, and you could be one of the lucky ones.
Falcon Lake’s ice fishing tournament is impressive because the lake is home to some enormous Northern Pike that generally like to hang out around the weed line at the western corner of the lake. That means there’s always a good chance of a trophy catch, whether you’re tournament fishing or not.
And there’s more than Pike here, too. Smallmouth Bass and Walleye are also popular catches on this popular stop off the Trans-Canada Highway.
The Shacks/Kennebecasis River, NB
Visit the well-to-do suburb of Renforth in winter, and you’ll find a community that’s fiercely independent. A community that eschews the finer things in life in favour of pure, simple winter fun. A community that revolves around one thing: Smelt.
The Renforth Ice Fishing Village opens up a world of ice fishing on the Kennebecasis River. Just 10 minutes from Saint John, it hosts around 100 fishing shacks every year, all gathered around the Renforth Wharf. These usually stay for the season, as their occupiers while away the hours intercepting sea-run Smelt as they travel under the ice to and from the Bay of Fundy.
New Brunswick’s regulations for this species are very generous, so even if you book a shack for a night you could catch enough to keep you happy for months!
But it’s not just Smelt that makes the Kennebecasis River attractive in winter. Go further out towards Long Island, and you could find Hake hiding under the ice. Or, set your fishing rod down for a while and try skating or ice surfing. The fact that you can reserve a shack for as little as 3 hours at a time means you can try all these things just in one day.
Great Slave Lake, NWT
Only one place on our run-down of 2024 Canadian ice fishing destinations has made the cut 3 years running. You just can’t beat Great Slave Lake for beautiful surroundings, monster fish, and creature comforts on the ice.
The deepest lake in North America, this is also one of the largest lakes in the world. And as luck would have it, it’s right off the shores of the Northwest Territories’ capital – Yellowknife. Most ice fishing tours depart from here and there’s a whole lot of lake to explore, on your own or with a guide.
Almost all of Canada’s ice fishing favourites swim in these icy waters. Enormous Northern Pike and Lake Trout attract trophy hunters, while Arctic Grayling bring a touch of cold-water exotic. Meanwhile, Walleye and Whitefish are some of the best table fare that comes up from under the hard water.
The best thing about ice fishing Great Slave Lake is the fact that you can do it almost all year round. The ice on the lake is usually safe from November until May. That means you can still enjoy fishing through the ice without bearing the extreme temperatures and dark days that are common around here in the depths of winter.
Muskrat Lake, ON
Finally, we have a destination for those who want to stay closer to home. Ontario’s Muskrat Lake is just a short drive from Ottawa. It’s hard not to be tempted by the lake’s iconic ice fishing shacks as you’re driving down Highway 17!
Not only is Muskrat Lake incredibly beautiful, it’s also home to some out-of-the-ordinary fish. Lake Sturgeon and Longnose Gar are a couple of the strangest-looking. They’re joined by some old favourites: Northern Pike, Lake Trout, Smallmouth Bass, and Catfish.
But the fish we most want to find is “Mussie”. This frightening beast looks like the Loch Ness Monster’s Canadian offspring. While we can neither confirm nor deny its existence, we’ll keep on trying to find it through the ice!
And that’s not all. Muskrat Lake is another top destination for competitive ice fishers. The annual Cobden Ice Fishing Derby runs every February and invites teams and families to compete for over $20,000 worth of prizes. Now, that’s one way to warm up this winter!
Ice Fishing in Canada: Goodbye Winter Blues, Hello Fish!
That’s it for our run-down this year. As always, there were lots more Canadian ice fishing spots that we would have loved to include. But each of our 2024 destinations offers something special – and may not be somewhere you’ve ice fished before.
You can also take a look at last year’s list. After all, we’re only here to try and inspire you! Take a step off the beaten track and see what you can find. We bet you’ll have an amazing time!
